After reading several pages of comments on this posting, I'm taking a stab at helping Canadian Unity on my beloved country's birthday month and because I love this province (there are too many reasons to summarise here).First of all, let's stop the kick Quebec out of Canada/doesn't contribute/works less hours/...etc. (insert other garbage arguments here) stuff out of the debate please, it's not helping us those that are pro-confederation locally to the province (please, really, not good for Federalists here at all!), nor is it progressive in trying to fix the fundamental issue...read on please (or see my previous posting for background). We must think positively and straight forward; make decisions without the ‘baggage’ being thrust upon us, projection of the 'which side are you on' stuff by peeling off the presumed superiority of one extreme or the other (imagine if you have blood on both sides, even a Gran Granny who is a Charlebois and you run into a Blueneck?), or by goons on either side of the debate - very well read Francophones such Daniel Laprès are doing thier best to reduce the influence of the latter crowd within the province itself.

A possible solution here is to have Allophones, who have a higher chance of being impartial and who have lived abroad also, act as referees for the most contentious issues (like a Greek mediator at the Working Standards Commission - an example of how progressive the provincial govt. itself can be if you knock on the right door). As provincial minorities can see, if we leave things up to the sovereigntist Clannistes(and certain nationalists of low integrity), and not take action to stop that faction within the government from acting like extreme Republicans, those types always on the search to make the French language supreme (while stamping in their neighbor's tongue withe legislative bullying), since the supposed fear (or as Stephen Colbert puts it - Truthiness) of losing the language has produced some pretty reactionary politics, and progressive legislation to counter thankfully at least. This faction, which gives us the impression of frequently kicking down the Lingua Franca (and treating those who speak English as 2nd class Citizens), for being wrongly associated with imperialism, and subsequently thwart their own job opportunities as a consequence - then QC is, maudit et suivra le même déclin dans laquelle il se trouve actuellement.

How to Stand on Guard for Canadian Bilingualism by easy identification of the unilingualist goonsQuebeckers want to get out of the stone ages, but these knuckle-draggers, easily identified as exclusionists by using a checklist:Anglophobic, Cyberbullies (attack every line in forums, like trolls), ignorant (while calling everyone else clueless), preach that the rest of Canada n'est pas mon pays, tells you décalisse d’icite maudit Anglais (territorials, confusing England with Canada), modèle Québécois worshippers (fine to be proud, but completely intolerant for those who do things differently please), wanting to eliminate English names in a bilingual city, if you don't want to be like us clan/screw you learn French or leave (wow, very neighbourly!...and for those bad a languages?), preach loudly that the Canadian constitution doesn't exist here [in QC], and, as disgusting as it is to hear, sometimes Hitler sympathisers due to his great damage to the Commonwealth in which they live in. These childish (anecdote: I became ones' boss and he decided not to show up for work for the better part of a week - an example of how much repetitive brain-washing will do) belligerents still fighting after centuries of losing a battle that paved the way for the foundation of modern Canada (like people fighting the tide, or trying to change the outcome of the battle on the Plains, which is funny considering that the U.K. still celebrates almost yearly the Franco-Norman invasion by means of re-enacting the loss at Hastings) even if the French language is not in danger in the province itself (whilst the only real thing diminishing is bilingualism, English in QC and the rights of minorities): seemingly following the ancien regime policy of France, to act and take every possible means to insult, to disgrace, and triumph over a minorities’ weakness within this province (ceux sont les agresseurs qui aiment bien profité de la vulnérabilité des minorités à l'intérieur de la province) - even to the point of publicly insulting victims (jeez sounds like the Bye Bye 2008 doesn’t it…lambasted by just about everyone thankfully) – ideas from mid the sixteenth century (yeah, and some militants are very proud to be that retrograde - note this is just a demonstration by an actor at Radio-Canada, similar to how a Red-neck would ramble on in English or spit in the direction of someone who speaks French, as I have witnessed once in B.C.'s rural communities).These are normally aggressive men since the women do not act this dense in public, but Madame Marois and Madame Harel cannot change their stripes, sorry no matter how nice your smiles are Ladies! ll faut revenir à la tolérance de notre cher Guy Favreau SVP - the majority must remember its true historyand not the biased post-Bill 101 generation revisionist history moulded by separatist political parties and their repetitive propaganda.Le Québec, mon cher, ça vas faire l'Anglophobie! Notre propre gouvernement et sa faction anglophobe nous traite d’esclaves (second class without question) et viole nos droits quotidiennement, et d'autres minorités bien souvent aussi.

The clanniste types will try and make us feel guilty for something that happened before the majority of us had the chance to make a difference or act - speading lies such as if the English speaking minority doesn't want to learn French (even though the statistics show we are 90% bilingual on both sides of the linguistic fence locally, but on the English speaking side still get the never-ending harassment/judgementalism/guilt trip from separatists).Do not expect someone to apologise for territory gained by Right of Conquest from several hundreds of years ago, nor shall we be made to feel like we are 'impostors' in our own province (as explained eloquently by notre cher René-Daniel Duboismostly by the gros bébés qui lache pas leur nombril ? Merci BAZZO!): even after the government mistakenly translates a letter to new businesses that start up here requesting English documentation (thwarting external business investment in the province on purpose?) – calling those from outside the province Artificial Persons - a very bad, perhaps intentional translation of Personne Morale – a simple fix by means of using Google to search on the Govt. of Canada site would show Corporate Body is the correct translation (only two clicks away Mr. Craig at Revenu QC, and no 'I'm not a linguist', just a citizen who knows his own language and was trying to follow up on a complaint three phone calls still could not fix: denial, reprisal, arrogance, ignorance, you chose the excuse for making outsiders feel 'artificial'). Recently, I even had one RQ employee tell me that it's not possible that my social insurance number (SIN) start with a 7 :) Can someone really be that thick? Can someone tell me the solution to this distinct ignorance? Est-ce qu'on peut dire ensemble que ce n'est pas acceuillant?

We can make a difference and embrace bilingualism not only for many of the reasons above - mais il faut penser aussi, ceux qui vivent en Europe, par défaut, doivent apprendre trois langues normalement au début.Pensez plus loin que les deux langues, s’il vous plait. We have to help people learn French in Montreal by promoting bilingualism, since we are a bilingual country, even my father in Vancouver shows us an example of French speakers in Vancouver back in the early eighteys (see near the end of the clip please), and to welcome visitors here, meaning signs should be equal in size when it is with respect to a person's security, and to help those who wish to learn French slowly (while seeing the equivalent in the other language), since it is done in several ways/speeds depending each individual and their situation.

Mais il y a un autre règle bien claire - il faut parler la langue du clientand not throw everybody off the bus because someone asks the time in English. Is it that hard to imagine why? Can the 'territorialists’ think farther than their own foot please? Projecting a language battle onto a Tourist or new arrivals to the Metropole makes utterly no sense! If you don't speak to a client in a language they are comfortable with, then you're asking to be put out of business (hmm, high number small business failures here, wonder why? And called Losers if they fail – but then again, how do you learn without making a mistake?):maybe those in QC who espouse this mentality should look in the mirror a little and see how they are shooting themselves and the rest of the province collectively in the foot. Even if most Quebeckers are way more progressive than this, the faction within the government I am targetting prevents everyone from moving on (and in many private companies too, even some multi-nationals), hence my argument that this is internal QC govt issue in the end (weed out the xenophobe goons, and send them back to development for the Quebecker 3.x patch, guys who espouse the shameful behaviour described above). This faction would typically think “Oh, no, we don't want evil money anyway” (more the point Fagstien has already mentioned, about ridiculous QC judgemental issue concerning what linguistic side the money comes from) – and project their fear of losing the French language in North America (still here after 400 years) by repetitively attempting to drop bilingualism in Montreal, which has benefitted from being bilingual for hundreds of years (naw, let's just over-write that history shall we M. Legault/Montmorency/Harel/...of when Montreal was the financial centre of Canada: now reputable for Graft and municipal mismanagment). Meaning the Anglo minority has to suffer by having these Zombies (listen to the lyrics from the Cranberries' song) using psychological harassment and preaching hatred due to this Québécois knee-jerk reaction of insecurity over continuing to share territory with English-speaking Canadians (feeding the territorial myth that QC is a country espoused by some clannistes in denial). We, as the minority, are being repetitively asked to accept their ill-will to make Montreal a linguistic battleground via bureacractic blockade,even accusing trilingual Allophones of being 'pawns' because they haven't been brain-washed to demonise English to the extent this faction would have one believe, which is openly supported by certain government organisations in the form of Sociological Propaganda.

Denying the fact that English even exists as an official language (! because local Anglo-Quebeckers are simply an irritant to them?) is another one of the nasty tricks also - quite the myth since many municipalities of the Island Metropole are officially bilingual, as well as many surrounding areas in Greater Montreal. Not even two elections ago, all major political debates were in both languages, and should return to that state, but Mayoral candidate Harel refused due to her lack of experience with debates in la langue des traites (how militants describe the English language in forums). Canada is a bilingual country, but we get the impression that le Gouvernement du Québec's pro-independence faction wishes to maintain a double-standard; trying to maintain a tyrannical precedent with Bill 101 put in place by the Liberals as an appeasement to the Sovereigntists, whilst trying to make minorities which follow the Lingua Franca, a natural occurence in itself, feel unwelcome/unconfortable with respect to their linguistic skin.

Canada itself and its English speaking majority must be cautious with respect to not excluding Francophones on the other hand in the rest of Canada - I cannot tell you how exactly, but just put yourself on the other end of some of the arguments (harassment either way for cultural differences is unacceptable), it it should be obvious to understand how to proceed. This is why discrimination, anywhere along the line, breeds contempt, and therefore leads the extremists in Quebec to act on Fear (which is always bad), and being a minority leads to distress, which in turn causes the knee jerk reaction of a wounded dog to bite back even harder. We must promote Bilingualism since it is the best path to curtail this quasi-civil war continuing in the office spaces of Montreal; there must not be this so called failure to communicate (continuance of the two solitudes): it's ripping the country apart, wasting countless resources, and there shouldn't be such a denial on any side when it comes to something that can happen anywhere (listen to the words of Faithless` [inaction is a weapon of] Mass Destruction carefully).

Do my readers know, here's an example of why 'Anglos' leave the province, that the Registre des entreprises (our provincial company registry) forces you to sign up your company only in French, you aren't allowed to say your profession in both languages even (unless you do it through an on-line registration thankfully…so that it won’t get rejected and filtered by an Anglophobic bureaucrat). In the French vernacular itself, even when a headhunter asks for a database administrator it’s un DBA that potential clients/recruiters ask for, not un analyste de la base de donnée. So my business has to suffer because a faction within the government again wants to prevent me from advancement? No, no, let's move along people….denial of discrimination is getting QC nowhere, wake up SVP - we can reverse the trend, ensemble.I’m not going listen anymore to the 'il faut que tu te tais’ recommendations from that faction who lost us all a colossal forty seven billion dollars of retirement money. These persons, of such low integrity once you stand up to their hypocrisy, sound very similar to the mentality of the fringe patriotes who heckled bands signing in English during a public holiday - which even sovereigntist singers such as Éric Lapointe denounced (good on him for doing so publically). It is for sure that not all sovereigntists think this way (traits, mentioned above), or would actively - just the 10-15% on the fringe are my specific target with reason.

This support by govt. institutions against the English speaking population is very serious and has seemingly increased since Harper cut Cultural funding, which in the end was partially rolled back.Never the less, we must have the Right to Freely work for the Government of Quebeck without the hindrance of unwanted racial comments, vexatious behaviour, unwanted actions by sovereigntist bullies and especially not to be used as the scapegoat to huge problems the Francophone majority wishes to push back onto the token ‘Anglo’ working in the office (a scapegoat for not managing risk appropriately), a tendency when there is bad news, lack of technical understanding, or deadlines that have not been met and ignorance of harassment laws. The result is, a lethargic bureaucratic process a victim must go through for retribution, and is another weapon that favours the majority – because Anglos are subject to prejudice and assumed to be privileged within the province. This is a myth from over a generation ago at least, but still propagated by the old-guard militants who think that Anglos all live in Westmount - which in itself is wrong, since we both know the best part of town, is the Plateau!.

To the intolerant arrogance of the few QC élite French supremacists (just as bad as the 'Rhodesian douchebags' as described on the other extreme of the argument)nobody wants this type of behaviour, so why does everyone become so apathetic here when it’s done openly (RRQ, Patriotes, Landry, etc.).Is the disease so bad over here in the East (I'm from BC, remember – five thousand kilometres from here) that you cannot get over your quasi-civil war in the office space for even a few minutes to listen to reason?The Working Standards Commission states that this type of vexatious behaviour is illegal, since it is unwanted (see here for references, since backup for arguments are a pre-prequisite, thugs take note). I believe the only real solution is to have minority quotas (as is done for Federal public service across the country to protect francophones and maintain a 40% bilingual quota thankfully across our multi-nation state) within the provincial government - which audting/enforcement by the Working Standards Commission, since minorities cannot trust the government to let us into 'Clan' territory.

To my regular bloggers, sorry to spin off to this localised issue, but as you may know already, I will simply not stand by and let discrimination of this type go ignored and unhindered – especially since it has affected the lives of hundreds of thousands of English speaking Quebeckers (as well as all immigrants to the province) as a result of the Parti Québécois’ rise in popularity during the seventies.It is in decline now thankfully, and I openly call for their "you’re’ not part of the Clan" psychological harassment to end…like DECADES ago please.

“after arising from several generations of increased wealth and considerable fortunes, by natural consequence, too often lead to conspire against that very Felicity, Peace, Quiet and Prosperity to which alone they have owned their very own existence. Arrogance and pride, without a more than common share of understanding, are the universal product of all hasty advancement. …this something , which they find still wanting, sours them within their own state, and inclines them to fall in with any popular discontent; partly to gratify their Vanity by insulting those [who have supported them for hundreds of years, with all the ups and downs that comes along with any interdependence] ; and partly to create a state of chaos, out of which they hope to emerge upon a Level with those they envy [trying to better the British Supremacist types, by assuming an entitled elite that is more discriminatory than ever] …and in the process of time, the Loss of real Liberty, whose sacred name is so often speciously prophaned by Malice and Ambition.Even Liberty itself, the more perfect it is, produces these effects more strongly; for the wantonness and licentiousness, which are its evil Genii, tempt all depraved Tempers to abuse it [celui qui cri le plus fort], and expose many of the Lash of the Laws, and to just indignation of power; which none, who feel, forgive, however they deserve it. At the same time, the natural Tendancy in all Humankind to expect more Favour than they merit, provokes unjust Resentments against Government, and a certain Infirmity (of which we all in some Degree partake) to be uneasy with what we have, and to endeavour after more… all these move by a secret Principle to that Quarter where it erects its Standard, be it just or unjust, be it save or to destroy their Country.”

Comments

Posted by Anonymous on 14 November 2009

Posted by Hugo Shebbeare on 22 March 2010

A perfect current example: As mentioned in the second paragraph on how to clearly identify the enemies of our multi-nation state - Federal MP Gilles Duceppe, now painted into the corner as an extremist (as is also the head of the PQ, Pauline 'pensé unique' Marois), even by former PQ leader Lucien 'lucide' Bouchard, openly stated recently the country he is living in is not his country "c'est pas mon pays": www.montrealgazette.com/.../story.html

This is nothing but desperation from those with an illegitimate cause for separation, which two referendums have soundly decided is not the solution.

Parliament should throw him out for open belligerence to this extreme (TREASON?!) - but PC will protect him for some reason (and it should not when this serious).

I believe Canada should draw a harder line now that his party's illegitimate delusional movement has damaged QC's reputation enough across the country, for too long already. It's time to suppress the Bluenecks who continue to ruin Quebec's future within Canada. Nothing good can come of appeasement anymore.

Posted by Anonymous on 11 April 2010

As mentioned in a previous post , between the months of January and September 2008 I was hired to be

Posted by Hugo Shebbeare on 22 April 2010

BTW, this is not just how I think as the 'maudit Anglo', many of us bilinguals are totally sick of the Government's lack of integrity - and the Sovert. movement in general (Bloc Quebecois in Ottawa in this article). Listen to this FB tread (in response to this article: fr.canoe.ca/.../20100421-114729.html

Hugo Shebbeare That's it, everyone wants the losership to be over....and for us all to work together as a the multi-nation state we should be :) Rebatîr le Canada, avec le Québec lucide inclus, et mettons dehors les Rednecks Conservateurs SVP en même temps :) Who will step forward to lead us together again, however? Is Iggy going to rise to the occasion and use Trudeau as his RHMan (my wish)?

Posted by Hugo Shebbeare on 5 January 2011

Enough of the glowing commentary on Bill 101 - it was devastating to Quebec's English-speaking community

ROBERT LIBMAN, Freelance

Published: Tuesday, August 28 2007

On its 30th anniversary, commentators and politicians lined up to speak in glowing terms about Bill 101 as a landmark, society-altering law that succeeded in securing Quebec's French language and culture, which was precariously floating within a North American ocean of 250 million English-speaking people. Many anglophones have weighed in, saying that as a result of the circumstances, our community has benefited by becoming bilingual. Others have expressed relief that after 30 years, "we have finally achieved social and linguistic peace."

Not to ruin the party, but in many ways, the impact of Bill 101 is no cause for celebration and the anniversary raises several questions:

What cost to Quebec's historic English-speaking community? There is no denying the fact Bill 101 coupled with political uncertainty, has decimated the vitality of Quebec's historic English-speaking community. The departure of hundreds of thousands has severely weakened the infrastructure of the community, its institutions, its political influence, its relevance. The inherent message of the legislation is that the English-speaking community is not as important as the majority. That its language must be hidden from public view was enough symbolism to convince many people that their presence was more welcome elsewhere.

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Montrealers march on Sunday to celebrate the the Charter of the French Language.

ALLEN MCINNIS, THE GAZETTE

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In 1970, there were 250,000 children in English (Protestant) schools in Quebec. With the departure of so many, combined with the legislation's prohibition of all immigrant access to English schools, enrolment in English schools has plunged to 100,000, which has led to closures and the abandonment of dozens of neighbourhood schools in Quebec.

Has the Montreal economy suffered as a result? In the 1970s, Montreal was Canada's most- populous city, the country's head office capital, and the economic hub of our nation. Radio great Ted Tevan called us the City of Champions with Montreal sports teams thriving in their respective leagues. But today, Montreal's economy does not even compete in the same league as Toronto. We lag behind other Canadian cities as well, due in no small measure to one of the largest population displacements in North American history. Montreal has lost hundreds of thousands of people, young educated college and university graduates, taxpayers, property owners, tenants and consumers.

Were the coercive aspects of Bill 101 necessary? The principal objective of Bill 101, ensuring the protection and vitality of the French language in this small corner of North America was positive. But was it necessary for the means to be a zero-sum game? Were restrictive or coercive measures weakening the English community required to enhance the French language? René Lévesque himself was uncomfortable with Camille Laurin's final version of Bill 101, worried that the methods went too far.

To ensure French is universally visible and predominant, was it really necessary to eradicate English words from all commercial signs?

For francophones to play a more dominant role in the Quebec economy, was it really necessary to force businesses to operate exclusively in French or for thousands of anglophones to leave and vacate existing jobs?

Following the Quiet Revolution of the 1960s, a new generation of francophones overwhelmingly moved toward engineering and commerce degrees, high-tech programs and MBAs. Bill 101 is not the reason that the École Polytechnique or Hautes Etudes Commerciales of Université de Montreal, or UQÀM, or the École de technologie supérieure have seen an explosive growth over the past 30 years. A new generation of francophone business leadership was naturally emerging and would have taken hold of the Quebec economy without the need for Bill 101's coercion or the flight of English-speaking business leaders and companies.

Would allowing immigrants a choice to go to English schools, perhaps in a French immersion stream, not have accomplished the same as forcing them all into French schools? They would still have become fluent in French, while allowing the English schools to maintain their numbers and vitality.

Would improvements to the teaching of French in schools, more positive incentives for promoting the French language and culture not have done more good than attempting to debase and squeeze the English, or spending millions on language police?

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Is Bill 101 still necessary? Camille Laurin himself suggested that eventually, once the patient is healed, once the situation is corrected, that it could be time to relax the restrictive provisions of Bill 101. The pendulum has now swung so far in the opposite direction, and so much of the English-speaking community's critical mass is elsewhere, that any softening of the language law today would have a negligible impact on the majority. But if the Liberal government were to relax the rules somewhat, at least to allow English schools to absorb a meagre percentage of immigrants, it would offer some renewal and indication the community still means something.

We're the only loyal voters the Liberals have left, yet the party hides behind the contention it must not disrupt this sacred "social peace" that now prevails. What no one dares to admit is that this social peace exists only because a once proud and important component of Quebec society has largely either jumped ship or given up the fight.

Robert Libman is a former Equality Party leader and member of the National Assembly, mayor of Côte St. Luc/Hampstead/Montreal West and a Montreal city Councillor.

Posted by Hugo Shebbeare on 9 February 2011

It's right up there in Chapter One, Article One of the city's charter: "Montreal is a French-speaking city."

But as just about anyone can tell you, the fact is that Montreal is bilingual. At least, that is the overwhelming conclusion of a survey last week for the Association of Canadian Studies.

Eighty per cent of Quebecers agree with the statement: "Montreal is a bilingual city," while 17 per cent disagree and three per cent don't know.

What's more, a solid majority of Quebecers say Montreal should be bilingual. Seventy per cent of respondents disagree with the statement: "Montreal should not be a bilingual city."

The results show the average Quebecer is far more comfortable with the city's bilingual character than are most politicians, said Jack Jedwab, executive director of the nonprofit association.

"Our officials have been reluctant to make the statement of fact that Montreal is a bilingual city," Jedwab said. "I think the poll is very helpful in showing that there is a consensus around the acknowledgment that Montreal is bilingual." Jedwab added the poll should encourage elected officials to come out and publicly declare that the city is bilingual.

Protecting Montreal's French "face" is a popular concern among politicians. Some demographers sounded an alarm when the 2006 census showed that the number of mother-tongue francophones dipped to just under 50 per cent on the island of Montreal. Last year, Parti Quebecois language critic Pierre Curzi issued a study claiming "to establish without a doubt the alarming increase of English."

But Jedwab said worries over the preservation of French are no reason to deny the city's linguistic reality. "It's not a solution to pretend that Montreal is something that it isn't," he said.

According to the 2006 census, 17.4 per cent of the 3.3 million Montrealarea residents speak English most often at home, 69.1 per cent speak French most often and 13.4 per cent speak another language.

Allophones are most likely to say that Montreal is bilingual, with 67.5 per cent saying they strongly agree the city is bilingual and 26.3 per cent saying they somewhat agree. Among anglophones, 52.4 per cent strongly agree that Montreal is bilingual while 36.6 per cent somewhat agree. Among francophones, 37 per cent strongly agree while 41.7 per cent somewhat agree.

Montrealers are more likely than people in other regions to think the city should be bilingual.

In the Montreal area, 76.5 per cent of respondents disagreed with the statement, "Montreal should not be a bilingual city," while 64.9 per cent of Quebec City residents and 63.2 per cent of those in other parts of Quebec disagreed.

While multiculturalism has come under fire in Quebec's political circles, 95 per cent of Quebecers also say the city is multicultural -a consensus that transcends all regions and age groups, the survey showed.

Leger Marketing polled 1,000 Quebecers in the online survey during the week of Jan 24. An equivalent telephone survey would be accurate within 2.9 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Posted by Hugo Shebbeare on 15 February 2011

Here's another one about QC's xenophobia, with a dash of legacy Anglophobia

_______________________________

Quebecers have no reason to feel threatened

Anglophones of Quebec, you can breathe easy. According to a new poll on French, bilingualism and Bill 101, your French-speaking compatriots no longer think you constitute the greatest threat to the survival of the French language in Quebec.

THE GAZETTE FEBRUARY 15, 2011

That's the good news.

The bad news is that the reason you're no longer a threat is because there are fewer of you and francophones have moved on to a new source of worry: multiculturalism.

The poll, by Angus Reid for La Presse, was carried out Feb. 9 and 10, right around the time that Conservative MP Maxime Bernier suggested that Quebecers no longer need Bill 101 to protect the French language.

According to the poll, 90 per cent of Frenchspeaking Quebecers disagreed with Bernier. Asked what threatens the French language in Quebec today -with English-Canadian culture, American culture and multiculturalism as options -51 per cent chose English-Canadian culture, 57 per cent identified American culture and 66 per cent pointed to multiculturalism.

For so many people to buy into the idea that French is constantly under threat by something is not a good sign. Francophones, who make up more than 80 per cent of Quebec's population, should get a grip on their linguistic insecurities. If young and old alike think multiculturalism is a threat, that suggests there will be stresses and strains between immigrants and native-born francophones for years to come -to the detriment of both groups and everyone else in the province.

In the real world of flesh-and-blood people, there is nothing to suggest that immigrants to Quebec are undermining the French language. Things are improving, in fact. Today, more immigrants arrive in the province already knowing French. In 2006, in greater Montreal, one immigrant in three used French at home. The proportion of people living on Montreal Island whose mother tongue was neither French nor English made up less than 33 per cent of Montreal's population.

Quebec, like the rest of the country, depends to a large extent on immigration for population growth. Outside of Montreal, Quebec might feel like a homogeneous society, French-speaking and Catholic, with a distressing tendency to view the outside world as foreign and suspect.

But on the island, francophones should by now be used to minorities studying and working alongside them. They might not be native-born Quebecers; some of them might wear a burqa or carry a kirpan; but they speak French, live here, contribute to the economic and cultural wealth of the province and do not constitute a threat to Quebec's way of life.